Around the world in eighty deals

INDUSTRY NEWS

Around the world in eighty deals

When Jules Verne wrote Around the World in 80 Days back in 1873, the task seemed like a herculean feat. Today, an ambitious outside sales rep might make that journey in a few days to keep their 1K airline status. Selling into varied global markets won’t be as treacherous as the novel, but it does come with its own set of challenges. Sales tactics that work in one country, might not work as well in another. If your sales team is tasked with selling into different global regions, Forrester Principal Analyst Beth Caplow reveals four ways that B2B buying varies across global regions. Knowing how to navigate different B2B sales norms will keep your opportunities from being blown off course like a hot air balloon caught in a storm.

Slack on Slack (and hybrid work)

Think of two companies at the epicenter of remote work. Was one of them Slack? [Hold for applause.] As much as it might seem, we’re actually not mind readers here at The Closer. Like Zoom, Slack has become one of the most pivotal technologies helping colleagues stay connected during this new era of remote work. Given their prominent role in this mega workplace trend, you’d think they’d have remote and hybrid work all dialed in. Think again. Earlier this week at the Axios What’s Next Summit, Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield shared the company’s journey to hybrid work, and the lessons it has learned along the way. You’d need a crystal ball to know how the future of work will unfold, but Stuart has some good ideas.

Sales starts with “c”

Okay. We admit it. Technically, there is no “c” in sales. (We apologize if you wasted a lot of time looking for it.) However, it is true that the only way to build a successful sales team is by finding reps that exhibit the three essential C’s. We’re not talking about calm, cool, and collected, but if they have those qualities too, that’s great. Instead, sales managers should be looking for reps with the right character, chemistry, and competence. Need that broken down a bit more? SellingPower interviews sales leader and coach Nigel Green about the three essential attributes to look for when hiring any new salesperson. We think you’ll like what you see.

IN THE GROOVE

Straight from the source

As a rule, we try to keep any self-promotion on The Closer to a scant minimum. This newsletter is all about providing knowledge-thirsty sales pros with the helpful advice, insights, and best practices they need to up their game. So, instead of telling you how great Groove is in helping sales teams be more productive and effective, we’ll let our customers do that for us. From Tenable and TIBCO to Business Wire and Brooksource, you can learn why leading organizations are choosing Groove in a brand new customer video page on our website. Get bragging rights by being the first among your friends to watch these non-Oscar-nominated video shorts.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW

Asking for help?

When writing term papers, professors always emphasized getting a buddy to proofread before turning them in. That’s because another set of eyes is always good. Your quarterly SKO sometimes isn’t enough to get your sales team and process working as a unit. Whether your sales team is lacking in lead generation, productivity, or closing the deal, a B2B sales consultant can step in to help tie up loose ends. Check out Readwrite’s blog on when you should hire a sales consultant. It’s like proofreading, for your sales team.

From handshakes to emails

Back in the days before the pandemic, field sellers were busy shaking hands and meeting up for coffee with prospects. Today, sales is a different story. You now have to win over prospects with a phone call or email. Inside sales has been doing that since the dawn of time. And hear us out…maybe you could even learn a thing or two from the other side. The LinkedIn Sales Blog brings you five inside sales lessons outside sales can use to succeed in the virtual world. These tips may just be as effective as a strong handshake.

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